A/HRC/22/55 risks and costs of violence; lack of internationally agreed definitions and monitoring tools and of ethical standards to take into consideration the experience and recommendations of children themselves; and a wide gap between data and its effective use in policymaking. 31. To address these dimensions and capitalize upon a growing body of knowledge and experience in this area, the Special Representative organized with the Government of Sweden an expert consultation in 2012 (see also A/67/230, para. 24). The conclusions and recommendations highlighted the urgency of the following measures: (a) Integrating data sources and information across sectors and disciplines to assess the cumulative impact of multiple manifestations of violence in children’s life; (b) Addressing knowledge gaps, including on the root causes and the incidence of violence during the life cycle of the child; the impact of economic crises, political instability and natural disasters on children’s protection from violence; and the social cost of violence and the return on investment generated by its prevention; (c) Capitalizing on children’s perceptions, views and experiences while ensuring due respect for their protection from harm and their right to express views and influence decisions, and avoiding situations that may place children at risk; and (d) Bridging the gap between data and research and advocacy, policymaking and allocation of resources for violence prevention and elimination, to inform evidence-based policies and widen the ownership of implementation by the public. 5. Protection from violence in schools 32. Education plays a crucial role in tackling violence against children and between children. Schools have a unique potential to create a positive environment in which attitudes condoning violence can be changed and non-violent behaviour can be learned. Recognizing the crucial importance of education in safeguarding children’s rights and violence-free schools as catalysts for non-violence in the communities that they serve, in 2011 the Special Representative joined the Government of Norway and the Council of Europe in the organization of an expert consultation on this topic (see also A/HRC/19/64). 33. The meeting called for a multidimensional strategy and: (a) Holistic, participatory and child-centred strategies to bring an end to violence in school. These strategies should aim to secure a safe and child-friendly environment inside education settings, address the cultural acceptance of violence against children, and promote positive discipline initiatives amongst families and in the community at large; (b) Partnering with children to counter the invisibility of violence, capture children’s perceptions and experience and enhance the effectiveness of violence prevention and elimination efforts; (c) Strengthening the crucial role of teachers and school staff who need to be provided with the necessary skills, training, support and resources; (d) Data and research on violence in schools to capture the hidden face of violence and address its root causes; assess perceptions and attitudes, including among girls and boys of different ages and social backgrounds; identify children at greater risk; and assess the economic cost of violence and the social return that may be achieved with investment in prevention; (e) Children’s legal protection from violence in education settings, which must be achieved through an unambiguous legal prohibition of all forms of violence. 8